Can strip key



Aug. 16, 1955 w, us 2,715,476

CAN STRIP KEY Filed July 10, 1953 Wylie F. L us/r INVENTOR.

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United States Patent CAN snare KEY Wylie F. Lusk, New Castle, Pa., assignor of ten per cent to Wylie Henry Lusk, ten per cent to T. Arthur Lusk, and ten per cent to Joseph Solomon, all of New Castle, Pa.

Application July 10, 1953, Serial No. 367,212

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates generally to kitchen accessories and pertains more particularly to a key for opening cans.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved form of can strip key which is of simple yet effective construction and which will effectively remove a sealing strip from an associate can, will properly guide the key along the can, and will also effect ejection of the wound strip from the end portion of the key.

This together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can showing the improved key utilized thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the key showing the same in strip removing position in full lines and in the strip ejecting position in dotted lines; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the key mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral indicates generally a so-called tin can such as is commonly in use and which includes the cover portion 12 and the bottom portion 14 sealingly secured together by the metallic strip 16 in a manner well understood in the art. The improved key for effective removal of the can strip is indicated generally by the reference character 18 and includes the elongated shank or rod 20 which is notched at its lower end as indicated by the reference character 22, for receiving between the spaced legs 24 and 26 formed thereby, the projecting end of the can strip.

The upper end of the shank 20 is provided with a key handle member 28 by means of which the key may be rotated in the usual manner by manipulating the handle with the thumb and forefinger. The ejector and guide assembly is indicated generally by the reference character 30 and, as will be readily apparent, this portion of the device is preferably formed of wire-like material and is spirally, inwardly wound at one end portion 32. thereof about the shank 20 adjacent its notched lower end, it being appreciated that the innermost coil of the spiral is snugly wound around the shank 20 to permit sliding motion between the coil 32 and the rod or shank 2i).

Portion 34 of the ejector Wire extends longitudinally upwardly along the surface of the shank 20 from the coil 32 to a point wherein the wire is rightangularly bent radially, outwardly of the shank as indicated by the ref erence character 36 and reversely bent upon itself as indicated by the reference character 38 to be brought back toward the shank 20 in the portion 40, it being appreciated that the portions 36 and 40 are in a common horizontal plane. A further portion of the wire is helically wound about the shank 20 as indicated by the reference character 42 and the upper end portion of the wire extends therefrom longitudinally of the shank 20 in juxtaposed relation thereto to terminate in the horizontal loop 44 positioned upwardly of the handle member 28.

It is to be understood that the helical portion 42 of the ejector wire is snugly but slidably wound upon the shank 20 so that this portion, taken in conjunction with the spiral coil 32, will firmly but slidably secure the ejector mechanism upon the shank or rod 20. Also, the portions 36 and 40 are tensioned or stressed when the device is assembled to further the frictional engagement of the ejector wire on the rod.

In operation, the key assembly is positioned as shown in Figure 1 with the notched end thereof straddling the free end of the can strip 16 with the handle portion 28 of the key being manipulated by the thumb and forefinger of the user to wind the strip thereof in a coil as indicated by the reference character 46. At this time, the spiral coil portion 32 of the ejector wire functions as a guide for the key assembly by engaging the top upper edge surface of the can in the manner shown, it being understood that the spiral portion is maintained in engagement therewith by virtue of the slight downward pressure imparted to the ejector wire by engagement of a portion of the users forefinger on the upper surface of the looped portion 44 as will be natural during normal manipulation or rotation of the key. When the strip has been completely coiled upon the shank 20, the opposite ends of the handle portion 28 are engaged by the index and middle fingers of the operator and the thumb pushes downwardly on the loop portion 44 in the manner indicated in Figure 2 so that the spiral coil 32 will eject the strip coil 46 from the key. It will be noted that the loop portion 44 of the ejector wire overlies the handle portion 28 of the shank 20 so as to positively prevent longitudinal displacement of the ejector wire from the shank. The wire portions 36 and 40 may be manipulated upwardly by a finger to return the ejector wire to the normal position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fal ing within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A key mechanism for removing the metallic sealing strip from a can, comprising an elongated rod having a notched end portion for receiving the end of a metallic sealing strip, said rod having its opposite end formed with a handle for imparting rotary motion to the rod whereby a sealing strip may be wound thereon, and means slidably carried by said rod for ejecting a coil of wound sealing strip from said end portion of the rod, said means comprising a length of wire having an end spirally Wound upon said rod adjacent the notched end portion thereof, said wire also having a portion extending in juxtaposed parallel relation to said rod and projecting beyond the handle thereof whereby the wire may be finger manipulated slidably along the rod.

2. A key mechanism for removing the metallic sealing strip from a can, comprising an elongated rod having a notched end portion for receiving the end of a metallic sealing strip, said rod having its opposite end formed with a handle for imparting rotary motion to the rod whereby a sealing strip may be wound thereon, and means slidably carried by said rod for ejecting a coil of wound sealing strip from said end portion of the rod, said means comprising a length of wire having a portion spirally wound upon said notched end portion of the rod, said wire also having an intermediate portion wound about said rod and an opposite end portion extending along the rod to project beyond the handle thereof, said opposite end portion being looped for finger manipulation.

3. A key mechanism for removing the metallic sealing strip from a can, comprising an elongated rod having a notched end portion for receiving the end of a metallic sealing strip, said rod having its opposite end formed with a handle for imparting rotary motion to the rod whereby a sealing strip may be Wound thereon, and means slidably carried by said rod for ejecting a coil of wound sealing strip from said end portion of the rod, said means comprising a length of wire having an end spirally wound upon said rod adjacent the notched end portion thereof, said wire also having another portion wound about saidrod at a point spaced longitudinally from the spirally wound portion, and an intermediate portion looped outwardly, radially of said rod, said last portion being tensioned, when said rod is engaged Within the Wound portions of the wire, to frictionally engage the wound portions against the rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,649,990 Lyle Aug. 25, 1953 

